Pulled Pork Baked Beans (on the grill)

Today, instead of smoking ribs, I chose to cook them on the gas grill.  I decided while the ribs were grilling, I'd mix up a batch of baked beans and cook them in a cast iron skillet alongside the ribs!

I started with a can of these!

Now these would have been perfectly acceptable to put in a pan and heat on top of the stove.  If you're pressed for time, enjoy them as is and get on with your life. But if you have time, a few extra ingredients, and something on the grill, give these a try.  

I had some leftover pulled pork in the freezer, so I added about a cup of that to the mix.

You'll need:

1 - 2 T. bacon grease

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 t. dry rub bbq seasoning

1/2 t. dry mustard

1 cup of leftover pulled pork, chopped

1 (28 oz. can) Bush's homestyle baked beans

3/4 - 1 cup of your favorite bbq sauce

4 slices thick cut bacon, cut into thirds

few drops hot sauce (optional)

Heat the bacon grease in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Cook onions, bell peppers, and garlic for 5 - 7 until they begin to soften, but not brown.  Add in bbq seasoning and dry mustard.  Let cook another minute or two.  Stir frequently.

Stir in pulled pork and let cook a few minutes.

Lower heat to low and stir in the can of beans and bbq sauce.  If you're adding the hot sauce, now's the time to stir it in to the mixture.

Remove from heat and top with sliced bacon.

If you have the grill going, place the skillet directly on the grill grates and let the beans cook over medium indirect heat until they're bubbling and the bacon is cooked.

In the alternative, you can bake in a 375 degree F. oven for 30 minutes or so until the bacon is cooked through.

These were deliciously decadent.  There are so many layers of flavor beginning with the bacon grease to sauté the vegetables to the bacon topping giving an extra boost of yumminess.